Deep in the Jungle
by Steph-Schell
Summary: AU. Because Iron America wanted werecats. "Save the breath for walking, glasses," he advised. "We've got a lot of ground to cover."


Miles glanced around the clearing. "Alright, bath first, change later," he decided. He stripped off his clothes and took a bath in the nearby lake. It felt good to wash off the dirt and grime of the trail. Once his bath was finished, he made his way back to shore. He could wait until he was dry but that would take too long. Miles stretched out his muscles and let the change flow over him. Fur bristled over every in of him until a panther stood there in place of a man.

Charlie sighed as she followed the footprints her uncle left. He had been gone from camp too long for her taste. Nora said Miles would be fine on his own but after losing Danny, Charlie wanted to keep her family close by. "Miles!" she called. "Miles, where are you?"

Miles groaned at the yelling from his niece. Why did she always have to find him when he was at his most comfortable? There was the possibility of changing back but that was too much work. Charlie was bound to find out sooner or later. Why not let her find out now?

Charlie grabbed her crossbow once she spotted the panther lying in the sun. "What the hell?" she murmured.

The panther rolled over and gave her a lazy stare. 'Calm down, Charlie.'

"Miles? Miles, where are you?"

'Right here.'

"Where is here?"

'Damn it, Charlie, I'm the panther.'

Charlie slowly lowered her weapon to stare at the large black cat in front of her. "How is this even possible?"

Miles yawned. 'The part where I can become a panther or the part where you can hear my thoughts?'

"Either. Both."

'Genetics.'

"To which question?"

'Both, actually.'

"I still don't understand."

'Our family has were genes. We can change into animals at will. Well, the men can at any rate.'

Charlie frowned at him. "Why not the women?"

'Were genes are like hemophilia. Women are usually carries. Men actually have the disease. It's possible that you can change but I wouldn't hold out much hope.'

"How can I hear your thoughts?"

'You have the were gene. Just because you can't change doesn't mean you don't have some powers.'

"Could Danny change?"

'Of course. And once he does, it should clear up his asthma problems. Mostly anyway.'

"Really?"

Even as a panther Miles managed to give her a withering look. 'Have you ever seen a jungle cat with asthma?'

"I've never seen a jungle cat," Charlie pointed out. "Not in real life anyway. Was my dad a were too?"

Miles nodded. 'We used to spend summers at our aunt's farm, chasing each other. He was a lion.'

"Wow. Why weren't the two of you the same animal?"

Miles began to clean his paws. 'Doesn't work that way. Genes are a tricky thing you see. Unless you're twins, you have different animals. But they'll be the same sort of animal. So everyone in our family will be big cats. Including Danny.'

Charlie bit her lip and gave him a shy smile. "Can I pet you?" she asked softly.

Miles sat bolt upright. 'Can you what?'

"Pet you. Come on, Miles. I promise I won't ruffle your fur or anything."

Miles let out a grumble. It was really hard to project "badass jungle cat" with your niece cooing over you like a house cat. 'Fine. Go ahead.' He would learn to say no eventually. Eventually.

She knelt down next to him and proceeded to run a hand through his fur. Charlie marveled at how soft it was. It was the silkiest thing she had ever touched. "You're so cute," she giggled. Miles glared at her. "You are." Charlie got to her feet and dusted herself off. "Come on, we need to get to camp."

Miles stretched out his muscles. 'Get my clothes by the bush there.'

Charlie grabbed them with a frown. "Why did you take them off?"

'Because panthers don't wear clothes, Charlie. And besides, I'd only rip them when I changed.'

"Are you going to change?"

'Why bother? Chuckles ought to be in on the secret.'

"What about Nora?"

Miles gave her another whithering look. 'I had a relationship with the woman, Charlie. She already knows.'

"Fair enough," Charlie shrugged. She glanced at him as they began walking. "So how come Danny's never changed before? I mean, it's voluntary, right?"

'Not the first time. The first time is under extreme pain or duress. You need to be an emotional mess with no other way out. If we don't catch up with him soon, he might turn while he's with Monroe.'

"Let's hope that doesn't happen. Oh, hey, if Nora knows does that mean she's a carrier too?"

'Nope. But there are other weres out there.'

"Have you ever met any?"

'One.'

Charlie frowned. "Just one? Are they that rare?" The question earned her a rap on the legs from Miles's tail. "Ow! I was just checking."

'Charlie, I don't know if you've realized but being different isn't often a good thing. And this is beyond different. So we take great pains to hide our identity.'

"So who was the other were that you met?"

'Monroe.' To avoid further questioning, Miles leapt over a fallen log and into the middle of camp.

Aaron let out a yell while Nora just smiled and nodded. "Hey Miles. Finally decided to let Charlie in?"

Miles moved his body in a way that Charlie realized was supposed to be a shrug. She didn't need to hear his thoughts to know what he would have said. Something like 'she was going to find out anyway'. "I found him near the lake," she explained.

"About time he finally got around to telling you," Nora smirked.

"Will someone please explain to me what is going on?" Aaron demanded.

"Miles is the panther," Nora explained, packing up her things.

"How?" Aaron frowned.

Before anyone could answer, Miles charged Aaron. Then leaped clear over him to land behind a thick cluster of bushes. "Yeah, that was worth it," he declared, standing as a man once more. "Charlie! Pants!"

Charlie lobbed his pants, underwear, belt and sword over to him and Miles began changing while everyone started packing up. "How did you find out about Miles being a were?" she asked.

Nora gave her a secretive smile that she often used when talking of her past with Miles. "He changed in bed one night during a nightmare."

"He changed in bed?"

Miles strolled out from behind the bushes to grab his shirt. "Do you really want to go there?" he asked Nora.

She thought about it. "Not really."

Miles nodded. "Didn't think so. Get your gear, everyone. Let's get walking."

"This still doesn't make sense!" Aaron yelled. "This is impossible by all the laws of science."

Miles pulled on his long coat and shouldered his pack. "Save the breath for walking, glasses," he advised. "We've got a lot of ground to cover." With a smirk he started striding forward.

Nora just shook her head and followed behind. Charlie turned to her father's friend. "Come on, Aaron. We have to get Danny back." Then she turned and jogged to catch up with her uncle and Nora.

Aaron shook his head as he tried to keep up with them. "It still doesn't make sense," he insisted but only to himself.

* * *

**A/N: **There you go, IA. There will be a sequel where we see Danny change. And an epic fight scene between Miles and Monroe's were forms.


End file.
